From WRIL The Big One - William Chester Freeman - BCDC We were on scene when 65-year-old William Chester Freeman was arrested by Pineville Police Chief Brandon Hollingsworth and officer Samson Churchwell took him into custody in the parking lot of a local grocery store. Freeman is accused of trying to meet wat he believed was a 15-year-old female juvenile. Officer Churchwell states that he made contact with an individual posing as the girl who showed him Facebook messages be

From The Bell County Sheriff's Department/USMS - On Tuesday, September 1, 2026, and Wednesday, the 2nd, in coordination with a multi-agency operation, Bell County Detective Hunter Luttrell carried out several arrests in connection with the death of a man, Bobby Smith, whose brother, Darrell Carnahan, was arrested in July for multiple sex offenses. Prior to this, on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, United States Marshal Service personnel apprehended Landon Pace. At around 1:00 a.

From WRIL The Big One - Quinlan Miracle Jr. BCDC 58-year-old Quinlan Miracle Jr., was facing a charge of attempted murder after an incident on January 25, 2025, which landed a woman in the hospital with serious injuries. Miracle Jr. had been indicted after being accused of beating his cousin with a baseball bat during an argument. After Middlesboro Officer Rossi responded to the scene, two vehicles were observed leaving the residence: a black Chevy Cruze and a light blue Chev

From WRIL The Big One - Justin Edward Logan - BCDC On Monday, August 24, 2026, a Pineville Man identified as 39-year-old Justin Edward Logan was arrested by Bell County Deputy Ryan Sams on a warrant in Middlesboro for sex offenses involving a juvenile. The complaint warrant, taken out by KSP Trooper Keith Baker, states that Logan is accused of "engaging in sexual intercourse with another person by forcible compulsion." Additionally alleged is that Logan, "being older than 2

From WRIL The Big One - Bill J Walton - CCJ A short time after midnight, there was a reported stabbing of a 52-year-old man at Catdaddy's gas station on Broad Street in Tazewell. Multiple law enforcement units responded including Tazewell Police Department assisted by Claiborne County Sheriff's Department. Police Chief Jeremy Myers tells WRIL that an individual identified as 41-year-old Billy J Walton, no address listed, has been booked into the Claiborne County Jail. He h

From the Bell County Ky Sheriff's Department - John Melton - BCDC Deputies and USMS Central Kentucky Fugitive task force served an arrest warrant in the Polly Hollow community on 56-year-old John Melton for sex offenses. During the execution of arrest/search warrant, Melton took a substantial amount of time before coming out of the residence. During the incident to arrest, law enforcement units noticed a cell phone case and could not locate the cell phone. Officers obtained

From WRIL The Big One - Andrew Hamlett - BCDC Late Wednesday afternoon, August 19, 2026, Middlesboro Police were serving what they called "a high-risk" search warrant on an individual identified as Jay Hamlett at an Exeter Avenue address near South 35th Street. Middlesboro Police report that Hamlett was wanted in connection with an incident on Tuesday night, August 18th, that put the safety of three officers in jeopardy. He is facing three counts of wanton endangerment - 1st

From WRIL - The Big One - In regard to the non-partisan Middlesboro City Council race to be decided on November 3rd... On Wednesday, August 19, 2026, another candidate for the nine seat race has decided to withdraw from the lineup of those filing earlier this year. Omar S. Omar stated in a Facebook past that he made the "difficult decision to withdraw from the upcoming election. Balancing my work commitments, family time with my son, and personal matters requires my full foc

From WRIL The Big One - Wiley D. Pittman - BCDC As we previously reported on Saturday, July 11, 2026, around 5:00 p.m., Middlesboro Police/Fire/EMS responded to a reported shooting near Bell County Coal on Highway 74. Once on scene, it was discovered that the victim, 38-year-old Danny Brown Jr., was being driven to Middlesboro ARH Hospital by the alleged shooter, 56-year-old Wiley Denzil Pittman, his stepfather. At 5:02 pm Kentucky State Police received a request for assistan

From WRIL The Big One - On August 5, 2026, the Bell County Grand Jury met to hear evidence against several individuals presented by local law enforcement. Among them were three men facing charges involving the 606 Pred Hunters. The charges stem from the men believing they were talking to underage children online. After communicating sexually, they set up meeting places with the juveniles. In reality, the men were communicating with decoys from the 606 and were later confro

From WRIL The Big One - Hayden Baker - BCDC Sunday afternoon, August 16, 2026, Pineville Police responded to a George Martin Drive address where a caller reported that an individual had forced his way into an apartment while armed. Upon arrival, Pineville Officer Justin Patterson states that 18-year-old Hayden Baker of Kettle Island had already been in the home with his juvenile girlfriend. The officer states in the citation that Baker unlawfully held the girl against her wi

From KSP Post 10 - On August 14, 2026, at approximately 8:41 p.m., Knox County 911 contacted Kentucky State Police Post 10 Dispatch requesting assistance with a possible fatal collision on Little Indian Creek Road in Knox County. Trooper Ben Meadows, Trooper Brian Nantz, Sergeant Bobby Roberts, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, and Knox County Rescue Squad responded to the scene. Upon arrival, Trooper Meadows located a red Dodge pickup truck overturned in the creek. Members o

From KSP Post 11 - Jack D. Kelsay - PCJ The Kentucky State Police (KSP) Post 11 London arrested a Somerset man for assaulting a 2-year-old juvenile. On August 13, 2026, KSP Post 11 London received a call from Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital regarding serious injuries to an unresponsive two-year-old child. Due to the extent of those injuries, the juvenile was flown to the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital, where it remains in critical condition. Preliminary

From KSP Post 11 - Jonathan D. Hacker - LCJ The Kentucky State Police (KSP) Post 11 London has made an arrest in reference to a ten-year-old missing person investigation. In July of 2016, Cecil Burkhart, 34 years old, of Manchester, Ky, was reported missing by his brother and sister-in-law after not hearing from Mr. Burkhart for about two weeks. In August of 2026, KSP Detectives received several tips regarding the disappearance of Mr. Burkhart. Through those tips and investi

From WRIL The Big One - Brian K Taylor - CCJ As we originally reported, on Tuesday, July 13, 2023, Claiborne County Lt./Detective Jason Henegar charged Brian Keith Taylor of New Tazewell with sex offenses regarding human trafficking. At the time, the Claiborne County Sheriff’s Department was conducting a human trafficking operation at a home in Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. The operation focused on “individuals purchasing commercial sex and individuals that engaged in the traffi

From WRIL The Big One - On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Judge Keith Nagle decided the status of the Bell County May primary election results for Magistrate District 4. This was after one of three candidates challenged the vote. Considered by the circuit court judge was the petition of Kenny Vanover against respondents Bell County Board of Elections and Kevin Barnett. The essence of Vanover’s claim is based on KRS 117.255 that “No person, other than the election officers, challe

From WRIL - The Big One - Tyler Riddle - BCDC According to a citation, on Saturday, August 8th at approximately 6:30 p.m., Middlesboro Officer Gabe Price made a traffic stop on Winchester Avenue on a Chevy Trailblazer. This was after observing one of three passengers not wearing a seatbelt. The driver was cited for the seatbelt infraction and was asked by the officer for consent to search the vehicle, which she granted. During the search, the officer states that the passenge

From WRIL The Big One - On Friday afternoon August 7, 2026, Middlesboro Police executed a search warrant at the Exter Avenue residence of 34-year-old Larry K. Presnell III. According to the citation of Lt./Det Barry Cowan, during the search officers found "countless bags" of drugs including Cocaine, Methamphetamine, and Fentanyl. Also found was a Davis 25 caliber handgun. This was after a lengthy investigation into drug trafficking. Parolee Presnell had previously been convic

From The Bell County Ky Sheriff's Department - Johnny Ray Gambrel - BCDC On Sunday, August 2, 2026, Bell County Dispatch received a call of an individual, identified as 52-year-old Johnny Ray Gambrel of Pineville, Ky., cursing and throwing things at vehicles near the park on Greencamp Road. Gambrel, nine miles from his own residence, also threatened a nearby family, including children, on their Wagoner Lane property saying he was going to kill them. Detective Hunter Luttrell

From WRIL The Big One - Mayor Joe Brooks Tragic news out of Claiborne County, Tennessee. As we reported late Friday night July 24, 2026, there was a serious accident on Highway 33 in Union County involving a motorcycle at approximately 11:05pm. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the operator of the 2014 Harley-Davidson motorcycle, identified as 56-year-old Claiborne County Mayor Joe Brooks, was traveling northbound on Highway 33 in Union County between Beach Island